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The European Retrievable Carrier at the time of writing is completing its mission in low Earth orbit, waiting for the retrieval launch of the Shuttle STS-57. EURECA has completed already to a large extent its scientific operations and has undergone to a series of various orbital phases. The thermal control performances are addressed in this paper on the basis of the presently flown mission. The thermal control achievements are evaluated by comparing them with the analytical predictions performed. Temperature characteristics are analysed, as well as operational aspects of the thermal design. Particular aspects are addressed in more detail, especially in those areas where the EURECA thermal control is peculiar, like the active cooling loop. Preliminary results of the impact of the cooling loop on the microgravity environment are also presented.

The intensive endeavor of the human, to do research work and to test in the low earth orbit, results in complex orbital platforms. These space based platforms are either permanent or retrievable. This is the case of the European Retrievable Carrier (EURECA), a free-flying reusable platform that is launched and retrieved by the NSTS Orbiter. The first EURECA mission will be primarily a microgravity mission specifically for material processing and life science payloads. The thermal control system of EURECA has to ensure the correct environment for the carrier and the payload, throughout all mission phases, by means of passive and active means. The passive means consist of various multi-layer insulations, surface finishing, conducting straps. Electrical heaters work, in conjunction with the active cooling loop, to keep the spacecraft temperature at adequate level. The cooling loop consists of a single phase Freon 114 pumped loop, with two radiators in parallel.